“Here you have the unintended consequence of an impossibly bad outcome coming from a really good intent and a good idea, which is: let’s go see if we can identify people who may be having a problem and keep them healthy. Instead, what we do is upset a customer, cause them to refuse to let anyone see their data, and now, whatever problems they’re going to suffer, they’re going to suffer them alone.”
—Alan Feldman, former MGM exec, distinguished fellow in responsible gambling, UNLV, who says “the jury is still out” on the value of facial recognition technology in detecting and aiding problem gamblers
“Something stinks, and it would be wrong for Doug Ford to look the other way when we saw what happened in B.C. before it got serious about cracking down on money laundering. We don’t want criminals who faced a crackdown on money laundering in other provinces to see Ontario as a regulation-lite place where they can thrive.”
—Taras Natyshak, New Democratic Party politician in Ontario, calling on the Ford government “take concrete steps to protect Ontario from being used by criminals as a laundromat for dirty money”
“If you’re using the game to escape unpleasant feelings, it’s time to take action. If you’re depressed, anxious or lonely, then go on to get involved in the game, it can become unhealthy and a real time-suck. It can take you away from family activities, other social activities and isolate you. That can be dangerous for young people.”
—Scott Anderson, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, on the risk that young people can quickly become dependent on video games
“The mayor probably didn’t make this decision willy-nilly. He thought it over and decided the amount of money from those sources won’t offset the bad publicity from taking the contributions. And it might even prompt additional giving from other sources. By virtue of declining, it may very well be a decision to grow his war chest and come out with more in the long run.”
—Scot Schraufnagel, chairman, Northern Illinois University poli-sci department, on long-term capital to be derived from Rockford Tom McNamara’s refusal to take donations from Hard Rock investors
“The fact that Phil and I can sit down, shake hands on terms and leave knowing it’s smooth sailing from there is a testament to the mutual trust and respect between us. A handshake means everything to Phil, just like it did to guys like Kirk Kerkorian. I feel the same way.”
—Jim Murren, CEO, MGM Resorts International, on a post-recession deal to sell Treasure Island to Phi Ruffin for $775 million
“We can redo all those rooms to Wynn quality, but you’re not get a dime more and you’ll chase off all your customers. Circus Circus is a different demographic than TI. There is always a demand for a lower (nightly room price) on the Strip.”
—Phil Ruffin, declining to pay $2 million per key to renovate the property he recently bought from MGM Resorts
“We’re increasingly becoming out of step with the retail environment. And that’s not good for us. It’s not good for our retail partners.”
—Michael R. Sweeney, executive director of the Massachusetts Lottery Commission, who advocates the lottery be authorized to sell tickets online
“If you have a taxpaying casino that is popular, that people go to, then you are looking at permanent funding for permanent solutions to the homeless crisis.”
—T. Scott Harden, mayor of Wood Village, Oregon about a proposed casino in his town, which would benefit the homeless
“A conclusion that appellant is not ‘Indian’ is too absurd and darkly ironic even for Franz Kafka and antithetical to the IRA’s ambitious mission. Such a ruling would place yet another black mark in the long ledger of the United States’ history of failing to treat this Indian tribe fairly and honorably.”
—The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe of Massachusetts, appealing a federal judge’s ruling that the tribe, whose ancestors met the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock is not “recognized” for purposes of putting land into trust under the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA)
“They can create a big campaign where they’re shown destroying some slot machines, and then you can read in the papers that the politicians are acting against gaming.”
—Harald Neumann, Novomatic CEO, warning jurisdictions imposing strict player limits that “If there’s no legal offer, they will find an illegal offer”
“I will not take any money from anyone who has invested in that casino. Legally, you could make the argument I could. I am not.”
—Tom McNamara, mayor of Rockford, Illinois, vowing to decline political contributions from investors in the proposed Hard Rock Casino Rockford, including some former major donors
“Writing in advertising is about feelings and sounds, it’s not math.”
—Troy Leyenaar, R&R Partners ad guy, defending Las Vegas’ new slogan—What happens here, only happens here”—from charges it is grammatically incorrect
“Among the list of complaints were family members who claimed their significant other was spending all the family’s living expenses, not leaving enough to even pay for food or essential family staples; claims of robbery within and around the establishments and alleged prostitution and drugs sales.”
—North Carolina police investigators, in a statement about the raids and subsequent closures of three illegal casinos in the state
“It’s going to become even more valuable as the leagues develop their own proprietary data.”
—Scott Butera, president, interactive gaming at MGM, on the importance of marketing agreements to “give authenticity” to sportsbooks
“This would be the first major expansion of gambling in our state ever to not go to a vote of the people.”
—Peter Meredith, Missouri representative, on the need to bring sports betting to the voters instead of simply passing the legislation
“To me, it’s just a good way to raise money for charity.”
—Andy Maragos, former North Dakota state representative, on his 2017 bill to approve e-tabs as a way to help charities; approval of e-tabs has had a negative impact on tribal casinos
